VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi (R) shakes hands with Montsame General Director Ganchimeg Badamdorj (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi​ (VNA) – The Vietnam News Agency
(VNA) and the Montsame News Agency of Mongolia signed a new cooperation
agreement on August 15 to tighten their profession links in the digital era.
Accordingly, the two agencies will maintain the
exchange of text news and photos with captions in English and increase the
sharing of news videos, especially documentaries on the land and people of
Vietnam and Mongolia and investment and business opportunities in each nation.
They pledged to maintain annual exchanges of
reporters and continue to support each other at regional and international
press forums participated by both sides, particularly within the framework of
the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA).
Speaking at the talks in Hanoi, VNA General
Director Nguyen Duc Loi noted the agencies’ implementation of the 2001 protocol
on specialised cooperation, which, as he said, has yet tapped bilateral
cooperation potential, urging the two sides to strengthen their ties in the
time ahead.
Regarding APEC Vietnam 2017, he said the VNA is
ready to provide information about this event for Montsame, and it hopes that
the Mongolian news agency will step up the promotion of this event on its
communication channels.
Congratulating the VNA on its recent
achievements, Montsame General Director Ganchimeg Badamdorj also expressed her
wish to reinforce cooperation between the two sides.
Both general directors shared the view that the
…... [read more]

NDO/VNA – The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Montsame News Agency of Mongolia signed a new cooperation agreement on August 15 to tighten their professional links in the digital era.
Accordingly, the two agencies will maintain the exchange of text news and photos with captions in English and increase the sharing of news videos, especially documentaries concerning the land and people of Vietnam and Mongolia. The documentaries will also include information on investment and business opportunities in each nation.
They pledged to maintain annual exchanges of reporters and also committed to continue supporting each other at regional and international press forums, particularly within the framework of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA).
Speaking at the talks in Hanoi, VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi noted the agencies’ implementation of the 2001 protocol on specialised cooperation, which, as he stated, has yet to tap into the bilateral cooperation potential, urging the two sides to strengthen their ties in the time ahead.
Regarding APEC Vietnam 2017, he commented that the VNA is ready to provide information about this event for Montsame, and it hopes that the Mongolian news agency will step up the promotion of this event on its communication channels.
Congratulating the VNA on its recent achievements, Montsame General Director Ganchimeg Badamdorj also expressed her wish to reinforce the cooperation between the two sides.
Both general directors shared the view that the VNA and Montsame need to boost exchanging information about their countries’ economy,…... [read more]

Torrential rains flooded some northern cities and provinces yesterday, affecting people’s lives and causing traffic chaos.
Torrential rains destroyed a road in Ba Chẽ District of the north eastern province of Quảng Ninh.- VNA/VNS Photo Văn Đức
In Quảng Ninh Province’s Hạ Long City, rains flooded main streets and caused the death of a 12-year-old school girl. The victim was among three school girls of Lý Tự Trọng Junior Highschool who were swept away by floods on their way home. Two others were rescued.
Rains also submerged hundreds of households in mountainous district of Ba Chẽ’s Lương Mông, Minh Cầm and Đạp Thanh communes.
Hundreds more households in Cẩm Phả City’s Mông Dương Ward were also flooded and covered with dirt and mud.
Rain also caused traffic chaos and congestion in Điện Biên Province’s Điện Biên Phủ City. Hundreds of motorbikes and electric bikes were damaged by the floods.
Heavy rains are forecast for northern Việt Nam in the next few days, and localities are being urged to prepare for possible floods and landslides.
In a notice sent to local authorities, ministries and relevant agencies, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said rainstorms are expected from August 13 to 16, especially in mountainous provinces.
According to the Hydrometeorological Forecast Centre, rainfall is expected to range between 150-250mm in the region with some areas even experiencing rainfall of…... [read more]

Provinces and cities in northern Vietnam have been requested to prepare to deal with flood and landslides in the region. Since the beginning of August, heavy rains and flash floods have claimed at least 34 lives and left 11 others missing and more than 20 injured in the northern region In a notice sent to localities, ministries, Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Vietnam Television (VTV) and Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV), the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said that rainstorms may occur from August 13-16 in the northern region, especially in mountainous provinces. The steering committee warned Lai Chau, Son La, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang and Bac Kan provinces of high risks of landslides and flash floods. To minimise human and property losses, it asked local steering boards of natural disaster prevention and control and search and rescue to assign their members to focus on areas at risk of landslides and flash floods and that are easily cut off by floods. Localities were asked to monitor rain and flood developments and spread information to locals, especially those vulnerable to natural disasters, to implement preventive measures. Search and rescue forces have to be ready around the clock in high-risk areas to take action if disasters occur, the steering committee noted. The VNA, VTV, and VOV, as well as news and media agencies of the localities were requested to increase coverage of disaster-related information and skills to deal with torrential…... [read more]

Hanoi, August 14 (VNA) – Provinces and cities in northern Vietnam have been requested to prepare to deal with flood and landslides in the region.
In a notice sent to localities, ministries, Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Vietnam Television (VTV) and Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV), the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said that rainstorms may occur from August 13-16 in the northern region, especially in mountainous provinces.
The steering committee warned Lai Chau, Son La, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang and Bac Kan provinces of high risks of landslides and flash floods.
To minimise human and property losses, it asked local steering boards of natural disaster prevention and control and search and rescue to assign their members to focus on areas at risk of landslides and flash floods and that are easily cut off by floods.
Localities were asked to monitor rain and flood developments and spread information to locals, especially those vulnerable to natural disasters, to implement preventive measures.
Search and rescue forces have to be ready around the clock in high-risk areas to take action if disasters occur, the steering committee noted.
The VNA, VTV, and VOV, as well as news and media agencies of the localities were requested to increase coverage of disaster-related information and skills to deal with torrential rains and floods.
According to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, since…... [read more]

Since the beginning of August, heavy rains and flash floods have claimed at least 34 lives and left 11 others missing and more than 20 injured in the northern region (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Provinces and
cities in northern Vietnam have been requested to prepare to deal with flood
and landslides in the region.
In a notice sent to localities, ministries,
Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Vietnam Television (VTV) and Radio the Voice of
Vietnam (VOV), the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention
and Control said that rainstorms may occur from August 13-16 in the northern
region, especially in mountainous provinces.
The steering committee warned Lai Chau, Son
La, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang and Bac Kan
provinces of high risks of landslides and flash floods.
To minimise human and property losses, it asked
local steering boards of natural disaster prevention and control and search and
rescue to assign their members to focus on areas at risk of landslides and
flash floods and that are easily cut off by floods.
Localities were asked to monitor rain and flood
developments and spread information to locals, especially those vulnerable to
natural disasters, to implement preventive measures.
[People lend a helping hand to flood victims in north]
Search and rescue forces have to be ready
around the clock in high-risk areas to take action if disasters occur, the steering
committee noted.
The VNA, VTV, and VOV,…... [read more]

Vietnam's prime minister has called for an increase in credit growth to 21 percent this year to help the country hit its economic growth target, state media reported on Monday, potentially adding to concerns over the pace of new lending. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stated the goal at a meeting of top officials at the weekend, where he emphasized the importance of hitting the 6.7 percent annual economic growth target, Vietnam News Agency and other state outlets said. In February, Vietnam's central bank set a 2017 credit growth target of 18 percent, and there has been no announcement that the official target has been increased. The central bank cut its refinancing rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 percent in July If the prime minister's goal becomes an official target, this could make further interest rate cuts more likely, said ANZ economist Eugenia Victorino. "But then the quality of credit growth and the quality of growth overall in the economy may be at risk," she said. The July rate cut came just days after the International Monetary Fund voiced concerns about credit growth and said rates should stay on hold. Vietnam is still suffering the fallout from a 2011 banking crisis, caused by excess lending into sectors such as real estate. But the government is also hard pressed to meet its 2017 growth target after the economy grew at an annualized rate of 5.73 percent in the first half. Growth of 6.21 percent last year fell short of…... [read more]

An outdoor exhibition featuring 50 photos of old Hanoi will be held on pedestrian streets near Hoan Kiem Lake from August 11 to 13. Luong Ngoc Quyen Street in 1996 by Nguyen Huu Bao The exhibition is organised by Sports and Culture Newspaper, Asia Friendship Company and Vietnamtourism-Hanoi JSC on the occasion of 10th anniversary of Bui Xuan Phai - For the Love of Hanoi Awards. Eight winners of the grand prize, more than 50 nominations and 30 inspiring high-quality works of art depicting Hanoi and a love for Hanoi have been honoured at the awards. 50 photos are captured or collected by five photographers who have won Bui Xuan Phai Awards in the past decade including Le Vuong, Quang Phung, Nguyen Huu Bao, Dinh Trong Hieu and Dutch photographer Loes Herrink. Loes Herrink is the author of the photographs Hanoi bicycle vendors from above and ethnographer Dinh Trong Hieu was awarded for his collection of colour photos of Hanoi during 1914-1917. Photographer Le Vuong was awarded the grand prize in 2016, Nguyen Huu Bao was awarded a work prize in 2017 and Quang Phung won the grand prize in 2013. The photographers show an enthusiasm to participate in the exhibition and said it inspired them and make them want to do more for Hanoi. Dinh Trong Hieu also sent two photos of serene Hanoi he took by Hoan Kiem Lake in 1979. Loes Herrink sent dozens of photos. She said she was mesmerised by the street vendors and…... [read more]

The Vietnamese delegation has a working session with India’s Observer Research Foundation (ORF) representatives (Source: VNA)
New Delhi (VNA) – A delegation of the Centre for Indian Studies (CIS) under the
Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) is on a visit to India from
August 6-18 to explore how soft power is used in the country.
On August
9, the delegation visited India’s Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and
engaged in a seminar on the India-Vietnam relations, under which the Indian
side shared experience in promoting its soft power.
The seminar
was co-chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Van Toan, CIS Director and Chairman of
the HCMA’s Science Council, and Prof. Harsh V.Pant , Director of the ORF’s Strategic
Studies Programme.
Later the
same day, the delegation visited the Centre for East Asia Studies (CEAS) under the
School of International Studies of the Jawaharlal Nehru
University (JNU).
Toan, who led the
delegation, and CEAS Director Prof. Dr. Srikanth Kondapalli discussed the possibility to enhance the
two sides’ cooperation in research and training in the field of soft power
promotion.
They also talked about ways
to enhance connectivity between scholars as well as learning exchange between Vietnam
and India in general and the two centres in particular.
On this occasion, Toan
co-chaired a seminar with professors, lecturers, researchers and students of
JNU.
Apart from Delhi, the
delegation is scheduled to make fact-finding trips to agencies…... [read more]

Ministry suggests building property tax lawThe Saigon Times Daily HCMC – The Ministry of Finance has proposed the Government build a property tax law in a bid to generate a new revenue stream for the State budget. According to the Vietnam News Agency, a Finance Ministry report says land use tax revenue accounts for a mere 0.03% of gross domestic product (GDP), and around 0.15% of total State budget revenue. Meanwhile, according to the ministry, property tax in other countries is a vital revenue stream for their budgets. Property tax revenue makes up about 2% of GDP in OECD (the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, with Canada taking the lead with 4%, followed by the United States with 3%. The property tax is regarded as their direct tax revenue source, as it is levied on specific assets, especially housing and land. Besides, asset tax reform in some countries like Canada, Australia and Malaysia is mainly intended to tax high-value assets and add property tax payers. The future prospect for the domestic real estate market is bright as a host of new legal documents such as the Housing Law and the amended Law on Real Estate Business will come into force, the Vietnam News Agency quoted a source from the ministry as saying. Especially, average incomes of Vietnamese citizens soared from US$1,400 in 2013 to US$2,200 in 2016 per capita. The figure is forecast to reach US$3,400 by 2020. According to the source, real estate investment will be more active…... [read more]